Creating local resilience

1
Creating local resilience

• A perspective on biodiversity-rich
  agro-ecological systems
• Sweden, 8th November 2009

2
Food production scenario in Kenya

• Only 1.7 of Kenyas land mass under forests
• 80 of Kenyans depend on agriculture for
  livelihoods
• Agriculture practiced on approx. 20 of Kenyas
  landmass
• Only 12 is classified as high potential areas
• This land supports plantation forestry, cash
  crops and food crops
• 75 of food produced by small scale farmers,
  majority being women
• Uses chemical fertilizer, pesticides and improved
  seeds
• Cost of farm inputs too high for the farmers to
  afford
• Main food crop is maize largely promoted by
  government
• Majority of small scale farms too small - less
  than a ha (livestock, fodder, cash-crops, houses,
  food crops)
• Less than 7 of Kenyas cropped land under
  irrigation

3
External prescriptions with internal backing
false solutions?

• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
• Genetic engineering
• Agro-fuels development instead of food production
• Leasing out land for agricultural development to
  multinational companies
• Monoculture plantation forestry for pines,
  eucalyptus, etc

4
More viable ecosystems-based solutions to food
insecurity and climate change

• Basic relationships in resilience

5
Characteristics of a resilient community

• Has good governance
• Has a vision led by a specific philosophy
• Self-regenerating (has inter-generational
  continuity)
• Self-organizing (can come together for a common
  purpose)
• Has shock absorbers and when hit, able to
  bounce back effectively
• Maintains and protects the good values of their
  culture, ecosystem, environment, language,
  biodiversity, etc.
• They make their home grown solutions to their
  problems
• They are patriotic by safeguarding their
  causes/believes
• Dynamic in the changing situations in their own
  ways
• Embraces participation of all men, women,
  youth, etc
• Diversity and respect of ideas is an enriching
  element
• Mechanism for restorative justice
• Has a defined relationship with the rest of
  nature

6
Characteristics of a resilient ecosystem

• Ability to self regenerate.
• Ability to adapt to change.
• Inter-dependence
• Self-regulating
• Diversity not monoculture
• Intergenerational flow/continuity
• Participation by all spp
• Co-evolution and not survival for the fittest

7
Forests to support Africas agriculture the
ecosystems services

• Weather moderation function of forest ecosystems
• Reducing intensities of drought and floods
• Nutrient recycling and movement
• Protection of rivers and streams
• Maintenance of biodiversity
• Soil generation and regeneration
• Water catchment service
• Spiritual fulfillment sacred sites and trees
• Air and water purification function
• Pollination service
• Knowledge generation and revelation
• Source of germ-plasm

8
Communities of practice ICEs current work

• Inter-generational ecological learning
• Sharing indigenous ecological knowledge insitu

9
Cont.

• Protection of indigenous and sacred forest
  ecosystems
• Involving forest-adjacent communities
• Reviving potency of sacred sites
• Protection of indigenous forest ecosystems, e.g.,
  Aberdare and Mt. Kenya forests

10
Cont.

• Climate, seeds and knowledge recuperating
  indigenous seeds and knowledge about them, for
  both men and women, to address food insecurity

11
Cont.

• Organic farming
• use of compost manure for soil regeneration
• use of bio-diversity based insect repellents to
  keep away pests

12
Cont.

• Water conservation
• Catchment conservation
• Affordable water harvesting techniques
• Campaign against water-thirsty tree spp such as
  eucalyptus spp

13
Cont.

• Working with schools
• to reach and involve the youth
• for knowledge Security

14
The spiritual dimension of food security
15
Conclusion

• For Africa, its about the richness of
  biodiversity and the level of conservation of the
  service-giving forest ecosystems
• External solutions being prescribed will work but
  not for Africa

16

• End